Late Gen Paul Omu

LAGOS JUNE 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Pan Niger-Delta Development Forum (PANDEF) has mourned the death of General Paul Omu describing him as a true Nationalist who fought for the peace and unity of Nigeria.

The Group in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief (Dr) Obiuwevbi Ominimini made available to Urhobotoday, said  PANDEF National Chairman,  Amb Godknows Igali, described Late General Paul Ufuoma Omu as a true elder statesman who believed and fought for the unity of Nigeria,  stressing that   he extolled the role the late General played in bringing on board the Amnesty Presidential pardon granted to  militant in the region.

Speaking further, the National Chairman commended the late Nationalist who gave the ample opportunity and encouragement to his wife, a role model,  Senator  Stella Omu to serve Nigeria at the red chamber, the Senate and her roles in contributing to the emancipation of the Niger Delta region.

He recalled the role of Senator  Stella Omu in the Chief Victor Attah led peace and reconciliation in the Rivers crises, which has now finally been laid to rest at the instance of President Bola Tinubu pending the restoration of full democracy to Rivers state.

In response, the Widow, Stella Omu, described his late husband as a true father not just in military governance, but also at home. The senior son of the late General, Oghenekome Ufuoma Omu, who lives in the United Kingdom, narrated how the entire children spent time with their late patriarch in his last days on good memory.

He recounted  that his father was always willing to help humanity, stressing  that any help he could not  render to anybody was due to the fact that because, it could not be possible. He concluded that considering the life and times of the late General, though the family shall continue to miss him, but that they are however not mourning him, but celebrating his passage..

Late Gen Paul Omu, who hailed from Isoko Nation in Delta state, joined the Nigeria army on 10 December 1962, and was a course mate to Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Bello and Garba Duba at the Nigeria Military Training College. He attended the Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, in the United Kingdom and was commissioned on 25 July 1963. He was Commander, 33 Infantry Brigade in July 1975, when appointed Governor of South-Eastern State.

In 1984, the Muhammadu Buhari regime created military tribunals to try public officers from the Shehu Shagari era who had been accused of embezzling public funds. Omu was appointed chairman of the Lagos Zone tribunal.  The tribunal found most of the politicians guilty, handing down jail sentences of various terms.  In September 1985, Omu was Commandant, Command and Staff College, and a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council.  When General Ibrahim Babangida decided to plan for the transfer to civilian rule, he appointed Omu chairman of a nine-man panel to review recommendations of the Political Bureau and draft a White Paper on the transition.

Omu retired from the army with the rank of Major General on 3 September 1990 along with a large batch of senior officers in the months following the April 1990 Orkar/Mukoro coup attempt, although he was not implicated in the coup. Omu died on 29 April 2025, at the age of 84 years

Present in the condolence visit  were the National Depty Chairman, Engr Bassey Ekefre, National Secretary, Engr Chief Reynolds Dagogogo Jack, among other top executives of PANDEF.

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